The embodiments herein generally relate to acoustic wave generation and more particularly to coherent acoustic wave generation by electrically stimulated non-linear materials and acoustic gates configured to control transmission of acoustic waves.
Unlike light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (“LASER”) devices, acoustic waves traditionally are focused using high power, large system techniques. The ability to send and receive focused acoustic radiation over 100s to 1000s of meters currently requires large parabolic acoustic dishes that, at best, focus incoherent acoustic radiation into a solid angle about the direction of desired propagation. Alternatively, planar phased-arrays may be used to produce intense directional acoustic radiation.